Trolley.



J. LEDWINKA.

TROLLEY. APPLIOATIOI FILED NOV. 1], 1905. RENEWED 00'1". 8,}908. 933,084. Patented Sept 7,1909.

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"17774-19558 'f/Y v r0 2 TROLLEY.

Patented Sept. 7. 1909.

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J. LBDWINKA.

rum-non mun NOV. 11, 1905. nmmwzn our. 3, 100a. 933,084.

J. LBDWINKA. TROLLEY. APPLICATION FILED 50V. 11, 1905. BBHSWED Q01. 8, 1908. I 933,084. Patentad Sept. 7. 1909.

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- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE;

JOSEPH LEIDWINKA, OF PHILADELPHIA. PENNSYLVANIA.

'rnoLLnY.

Application filed November 11, 1905, Serial No. 286,787. Renewed October 8, 1908.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH 'LEDWIXKA, a subject ot'the Emperor of Austria-Hun ary, resident of Philadelphia, county of Piiladelphia, and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a. new and useful Improvement in rolleys. of which the following is a specification. the principle of the inventionbeing herein explained and the best, mode in which I have contemplated applying that principle. so as to distinguish it from other-inventions- ,-My invention relates to improvements in trolleys. and particularly to im rovements in so-called traekless trolleys z. e.-troll'eys designed for use in connection with electric motor-vehicles which derive the current whereby they are propelled from overhead wires, but. which do not run on a fixed track. Obviously a more flexible connection must be rovided between the vehicle. and the trol ey than. the rigid trolley ole employed in connection with street cars and hence the trolley musthe constructed so as to remain in contact withthe wires from below. The object of my invention, then, is to supply atrolley, that shall satisfactorily fulfil the above, and otherrequi'rements peculiar to the situation; and to this end it consists of means hereinafter fully described and particularlys'et forth in the claims. v

The annexed drawings and the following description set forth in detail certain mechanism embodying the. closet-l means constituting but one of various mechanical formsin which the principle of the invention may be used.

In said annexed drawings :--Figure 1 representsa plan view of my improved trolley, one of the wheels being shown'in cross-section; Fi 2 represents a side eleva tion of the trolfy; while Fig. 3 is a side elevation of a slightly modified form (if-my invention.

T he frame of in clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 3, comprises two similar members A, which are joined togetherto form a sort of truck: A pair of groovetl trolley wheels B are mounted tandem fashion in each member Awhereby the frame is niovably sup two parallcltrolley wires V andthrou h which electricalcontact is made therewit The two members A of theframe are in- Spocification of Letters Patent.

without support invention, such disimproved trolley, as

orted upon the- Patented Sept. 7, 1909.

Serial No. 456,773,

sulatcd from each other, and two independent current-carrying cables C suitably connected with each member are adapted to conduct the current to the motor of the vehicle to be driven. These cables C are included. together with a third supporting-cable C within a suitable insulating tube D, such sup mrting-cable C serving further as a traction cable whereby. the'trolley is drawn after the vehicle without subjecting the current-carrying cables to unnecessary strain. I shall nowproceed to set forth the detailed structure of my trolley. 7

Each frame member A is made up of two like parts a secured together near their centers by bolts a and with divergent ends forming the harpswithin which the trolley wheels Bare mounted. Such wheels B, which are of the familiar grooved type in common use, are rotatably mounted upon axles secured inthe' harps formed by frame members IA, in the manner clear] shown in Fig. l. there appears, it will be observed that the wheel'B'is longitudinally movable along its aizle B sinceit does not-occupy nearly all the space between the confining arms of the harp. Normally, lmwevei'ythe wheel is maintained at or ncar-the'centcr of its axle bi means of helical springs S, disposed as shown. The purpose served-by -this arrangement. will appear shortly;

Pivotally connected to each of frame 1nem- .hers A; is a pendent. inwardly bent-.nrm The two arms .Xf are secured independently of each other at their lower 'entls'in a cyliir d ii-ical block of usulating material"'iriclosed' and strengthened by a metal covering A"; 'l't to this covering A that thc: ,traction cable is attached. The particularpointer; frame member A't o which arm A isp nny attached isnot material, [find itconvenient. however. to thus attach it to the axle oniwhich the forward trolleyxwhecl B rotates. This 3 construction is illustrated in Figsjl and 2,

while Fig. 3 SllQlVS the attachment is at the center of the frame instead of at the end. It would notbe 'advisahle; to have this point or attachnn-nt further back than the centcr ward wheel would then be apt to jump the wire. The frame members A being insulated from each other. each servestoclectrically connect the two wheels mounted therein with the respective current-carrying cable C.

the arrangement. when l' since the forframe member where most convenient and in detail, that wh h To insure a ood elecg trical connection between the trolliay wheels the usual manner..

and the frame a washer b is mounted on the axle B between each wheel and corresponding spring S, and is connected with the part a .of frame member A to which cable Q is attached'by means of a flexible conductor b. By this arrangement the Washer 31 is always held in close frictional contact The ogerationlof the several parts of my mitprore trolley when inactua'l use is readily in mated.- The trolley wires W are, of course, supported from'suitable brackets or hangers so as to permit the passa efreely along them of the trolley frame. T e frame is thus drawn along the wires by means of traction cable C connecting it' with the motor-veh1cl e. From the manner in which members'A are attached to arms A, which as has been shown, are rigidly connected so as to form an integral structure, it is obvious that, such members can vibrate independently of each other in a vertical plane to accommodate themselves to the varying inclination of the separate trolley wires. The

equivalent of lateral flexibility in the frame structure is obtainedby my manner of mounting the trolley wheel s therein, whereby as has alread been explained, they are movable longitudinally along their axles while normall heldcentered thereon bsprings S.

It wil be seen that by the a ove departures in the structure and principle of operation of trackless 't-rolleyls' of this ty e, I,

overcome the difliculties t at have hit erto been encountered in their use. Thus the fra'me of the truck is adapted to conform perfectly with all the various inequalities that are present in trolley lines, even when most carefully erected, and that, without sacrificing any of the rigidity essential to the frames durability. And by so assurin its conformitywith the wire, good electrlca contact-is maintained and the dan er of the truck falling from the-wire is re need to a tachedto each such portion, wheels mounted tandem fashion in each of said frame mcm bers, such wheels ,bemg movable longitudinally of their axles, meansnornmlly posi tioniug said wheels on their respective axles, and current-carrying means connecting each of said frame-members with the i'cl'iicle tohe driven. v

2. The combination with two parallel trolley wires,of a trolley comprising a crossarm made up of two portions insulated front each other, a frame-member pivotally attached to each such portion so as to oscillate vertically, two grooved wheels mounted tandem fashion in each of said frame-members, such wheels being movable longitudinally on their axles, springs disposed on each side ofsaid wheels and tending to center them on their respective axles, and currentcarrying means connecting each of, said frame-members with the vehicle to be driven. 3. The combination with twotrolley wires, of a trolley comprising a cross-arm made up of two portions insulated -t'roni each other, a frame -member pivotally attached to each such portion so as to oscillate vertically, two grooved'wheels mounted tandem-fashion in each of said frame-members, such wheels being movable longitudinally on their axles, springs disposed on each side of said wheels and tendin to center them on their 'respective ax es, washers interposed between said wheels and springs, and electrical con- 'ductors connecting said wheels with the corresponding frame-members and such frame-members with the vehicle to be driven. Signed by me, this 31st day of October, 1905. I

JOSEPH LED WI NK A.

Attested by:

'Gro. H. CANE,

LILLIAN M. Hm'mr'r. 

